A Study of the Reaction Between Quinone and 2R4F Cigarette Smoke Condensate

A study using atomic emission detection (AED) as an approach to explore the fate of quinone added into 2R4F cigarette smoke condensate (CSC) have been performed. Both natural isotope quinone and ¹³C labeled quinone were used in the study. When coupled with a gas chromatographic separation (GC/AED), the AED provided informative new data on ¹³C isotope enriched products generated following reactions between 2R4F CSC and the quinone. Two 13C containing species were detected by GC/AED. Matching chromatographic separation using gas chromatography/mass selective detection (GC/MSD) allowed for a structural assignment of a relatively minor CSC ¹³C ₆quinone reaction product as nitrohydroquinone (¹³C₆NO₂HQ). The chemical mechanism accounting for the formation of ¹³C₆NO₂HQ in the CSC was envisioned to be a reaction product between HONO and ¹³C 6Quinone (¹³C₆Q) to form ¹³C₆NO₂Q, followed by reduction of ¹³C₆NO₂Q to ¹³C₆NO₂HQ. The amount of ¹³C₆NO₂HQ accounted for ~6% of the added ¹³C₆Q. Identical trends in reaction chemistries were found for experiments with ¹²C₆Q. The major reaction product detected upon addition of ¹³C₆Q to the 2R4F CSC sample was ¹³C₆HQ. ¹³C₆HQ accounted for, on average, ~47% of the initial 13C6Q concentration. Identical trends in reaction chemistries were found for experiments with ¹²C₆Q. No additional ¹³C containing species were detected. A ¹³C AED compound independent calibration (CIC) approach under the operating conditions was not possible. This work further expands the knowledge regarding possible reactions of quinone and hydroquinone in CSC.